Consumed
by CocoDisney
Summary: He didn't know when he started feeling it. All he knew that he felt it, and it was bad. It wasn't news that he was slowing down. He knew that he didn't have an unlimited lifespan. Not even Buy n' Large could make things last forever...
1. Anniversary

**(****_Sheepishly_****) Hello, it's me again, heh. I am so sorry. I've been busy with my other fics and life. But I'm determined to finish this.**

"Goodbye, Father. See you this evening!" Benny waved and left.

M-O chuckled. "Yes. This evening." The cleaner-bot rolled back inside the house, where he met his wife, D-FIB.

Both robots had visibly aged over the years. Their metal was scratched and tarnished with dark spots that wouldn't come off. They needed to charge more often, as their energy depleted faster. They were more prone to injuries.

They had also seen a lot. Most of the humans they'd gotten to know were gone, either moved away or dead, including the Captain. The same went for the robots. Nowadays, the only original members of their group of friends who were still around were WALL-E, EVE, VN-GO, and L-T. The rest had gone off on their own adventures, but still visited occasionally.

But they gladly welcomed each new generation. Benny, M-O and D-FIB's son, had inspired a new line of child-bots, ones who were capable of changing and learning. Humans and bots alike went crazy over them, including WALL-E and EVE. They had one named Kitty, who was good friends with Benny.

M-O's wheel rolled over fresh, green, grass, with budding flowers, the first signs of spring. The city had been mostly restored, with a few areas where the damage was irreversable. But everyone decided to keep them around as reminders of what would happen if they got careless again.

The two robots reached their destinations. After the cleanup was finally done, some robots had left to help with other areas. Those who stayed decided to get jobs suiting their strengths. M-O worked at a cleaning company, obviously, and, it took a lot of convincing, but D-FIB decided to finally get her defibrillators fixed, seeing as she didn't need the malfunction anymore, and it was time to let go of the past. So, she worked at a hospital.

Benny, as McCrea had hoped, was a translator. As she had looked up to him all her life, Kitty worked with him. In fact, many of the child-bots had taken up the job, as they also considered him a role model.

The day went on normally, and by evening, M-O, D-FIB, and Benny met up as planned. But they weren't the only ones. WALL-E, EVE, Kitty, most of the other robots, and a lot of humans were around as well. That was because today was very special.

"As you all know, twenty-five years ago, the _Axiom_ returned to Earth. While I wasn't there to witness it, from all your stories, I feel as if I was there all the same. Now, let's get this party started! Woo!"

Benny jumped up and down, then rushed to his parents. "You were great!" D-FIB congratulated.

The little robot smiled shyly. "Aww, shucks, Mom."

M-O patted him on the head. "Now go play with your friends."

"Alright!" Benny went away.

M-O and D-FIB went to talk to their friends. VAQ-M, PR-T, BRL-A, and HAN-S had all made it to the occasion. "_Twenty-five years, can you believe it?_" VN-GO stated. "_I feel as if it were only yesterday WALL-E entered our lives._"

L-T nodded. "_I know, right? And look what's happened to us since then._"

The two distinct robot couples looked at each other lovingly, then at the area their children were playing.

VAQ-M sucked up some confetti, then blew it on everyone, making them laugh. "_It's nice to see you all accept my defect instead of shunning me for it._"

"_You haven't been shunned for a long time._" PR-T reminded him.

"_So what? It doesn't stop me from being grateful._"

BRL-A stepped up. "_I see what you mean._"

The robots continued talking, catching up. When they were done, they went their own separate ways. M-O decided he needed a break from all the partying, so he went to an empty area. He simply sat there, the stars reflecting off his screen, a familiar feeling of dread creeping into his system.

He didn't know when he started feeling it. All he knew that he felt it, and it was bad. It wasn't news that he was slowing down. He knew that he didn't have an unlimited lifespan. Not even Buy n' Large could make things last forever, as resilient as their products were.

But his age somehow wasn't the problem, he knew that. It was something worse, much, much, worse. It was going to consume him. It was going to tear him away from D-FIB, Benny, and all his friends.

M-O hadn't told anyone this, not wanting to worry them. But he knew that if he kept his mouth shut, the truth would find some way to reveal itself.

Oh, if only he hadn't thought that at the moment.

First, he completely freezed up, then began to shake uncontrollably. He tried to call for help, but his voice box refused to comply. Finally, his system did an emergency shutdown, making his body topple over.

D-FIB then just happened to glide over to the area. When she saw her unconscious husband on the ground, at first she thought he had fallen asleep. No, M-O wouldn't do that in here of all places. She then grew real worried.

"M-O?" She poked him with her paddle. He didn't respond.

"M-O!" She panicked, scooping him up in her arms. She flew around, looking for Benny. When she spotted him, she went up to him.

"Oh, hi - Father?!" Benny's green eyes were wide with fear and concern. "What's wrong?"

"I don't know - I found him like this - I-I'm taking him to the Repair Ward! Would you tell our friends where we're going? After that, you can come."

"Okay."

D-FIB sped off in the direction of the _Axiom_, determined to make M-O well again.

**Uh oh...**

**I think that now the robots have been on Earth for a while, it allows them to age, unlike on the ****_Axiom_**** where they were always kept in pristine condition. And while they can get repairs to fix their aging problems, they can only do so much before finally collapsing. **

**I do not apologize for the feels you may get later in the story...**

**This is the last story in what I call "The Destiny Trilogy". If you are confused, go read the two earlier stories that take place before this one.**

**CocoDisney out!**


	2. Diagnosis

**I now just realized that I've been on FanFiction for a year now. Thank you all for your support!**

D-FIB watched nervously as the robots working in the Repair Ward carefully examined M-O. Benny was also there, with Kitty by his side. Pretty much every one of their friends had come for support.

One of the best things about the child-bots was that they were customizable. Kitty looked like Benny, except her metal had a pink tint, glittery stars and swirls decorated her head, and one eye was brown and the other blue. She was also equipped with thrusters so she could fly.

She was currently patting her friend's back and comforting him. "It's going to be okay, Benny."

"That's what they always say, whether it's true or not."

"What else can I say to make you feel better?"

"Good point."

A robo-arm peeked out of the blue sliding glass doors. "_D-FIB?_"

"_Yes?_"

"_Come in. We've rebooted your husband, and we have a diagnosis._"

"_Can Benny come too? He needs to hear as well._"

"_Sure._"

D-FIB and Benny went through the doors. "Good luck," Kitty said.

M-O, as the arm had said, was awake, but rather groggy. "Father! I was so worried!" Benny rushed over and glomped him.

M-O laughed tiredly. "I gave you all a scare, didn't I?"

D-FIB spark-kissed him. "Yes, but you're going to be okay."

At that, M-O and the arm exchanged a grim look. "_Should I tell her, or do you want to?_" the latter asked.

M-O sighed. "_I will. _D-FIB, look, do you remember the cause of death of the Captain?"

"Cancer," D-FIB answered bluntly, but then it hit her. "Wait…" Benny got a scared look on his face.

M-O closed his eyes. "_I have a virus, but not the kind where a simple reboot will fix me. It mimics what cancer does, spreading all around until the body shuts down. I've had this for a while now._"

Benny didn't look like he could speak without choking, so D-FIB turned to the arm. "_Is there anything that can be done?_"

"_Well, we can try some treatments we've been testing. But there's no guarantee they're going to cure him. Plus, they're pretty painful. I don't think you would want M-O to go through all that. But it's his decision._"

They all turned to M-O, who shook his head no. "_I'd rather end my life peacefully, thank you very much._"

D-FIB gasped. "M-O! You can't be serious!" Benny looked like he was going to cry.

M-O nodded, completely serious. "But I am, D-FIB. I'm not any happier than you are that our time together is now limited. But I want to spend those days just being with those I love. Don't you want that?"

D-FIB was in a state of shock, not processing what her partner just said. She rushed to the arm and tearfully asked, "_Are you _sure _that there's nothing else?_"

"_The only other option would be to gut and replace every part of his system,_" the arm replied. "_Including his memory banks._"

"No...no…"

"_I'm very sorry, D-FIB. There's nothing I can do. Bring him here every time he has a scare, but eventually he will expire._"

D-FIB could not deny it anymore. Her M-O was going to die. She broke down sobbing. The cleaner-bot gestured at her to come over, then he let her weep into his shoulder. Benny seemed to be frozen, his eyes taking on a far-away look.

M-O noticed. "Benny? I know this is a lot, but, are you okay?"

Hearing his name, Benny exploded.

"How am I supposed to be okay when I know you're going to die! You're leaving me and Mom alone! I can't take this!" To emphasize, Benny clutched his head. His voice was beginning to crack.

"Benny-" D-FIB started.

"Nothing any of you can say will make me feel better!" Benny screamed. If it were possible, tears would've been rolling down his face. He turned and sped away.

The robots in the room stared at the vacant spot. M-O asked, "_Am I clear now?_"

"_Yes,_" the robo-arm replied.

The arm removed the red boot, then the two bots left, to meet their bewildered friends. They had heard the shouting, and wanted answers. All was explained.

Hearing M-O's diagnosis, the response was depressing. EVE leaned her head on WALL-E's shoulder, whose optics were drooping. Kitty ran into her parents, sniffling. VN-GO lowered his arm, VAQ-M let out a little sneeze and sighed, PR-T hovered close to the ground, BRL-A stood still, L-T's light bulb went out, and HAN-S placed a comforting hand on the former's shoulder.

This was supposed to be a night of celebration, not a sob fest. But again, these things seemed to happen at the worst possible time.

M-O offered everyone a smile. "My time's not over just yet, everyone. I'm sad, too, but at least I can end my days content. Come here, everybody."

The robots all came together in a group hug, clinging to the cleaning droid desperately, as if he might fade away at any moment. When they pulled apart, M-O said, "I'm going to look for Benny."

"Are you sure?" D-FIB asked.

"D-FIB, I'm the one who needs to talk to him."

With a nod from his wife and a kiss for good luck, M-O left the room.

**I'm sorry, not sorry.**

**I have not had cancer, nor have I had to deal with someone close to me that has it. If I get anything wrong please let me know.**

**Our school's musical, ****_Little Shop of Horrors_****, is opening in a month and until then, as stage manager, I'm called to every rehearsal. I will try to keep up on the updates.**

**CocoDisney out!**


	3. Heart-to-Heart

**Early Valentine's Day present!**

Benny was at the tree that had once been the plant. It had grown big and strong, its branches full of leaves. He leaned his arm against it for support.

Even though he didn't have lungs, Benny felt like his chest was squeezing in. He hadn't felt this way since…

"Benny?" M-O's high-pitched robotic voice called.

The green-eyed bot sighed. "Over here."

The cleaner-bot came into view. "Benny…"

He was then suddenly tackled to the ground, followed by some sobbing. Benny clung desperately to his father's body for comfort, which he received. When he had calmed down enough, he said, "I'm sorry for what I said earlier, and for running off. I was just so angry that you were sick, and…"

M-O held up his brush. "Benny. You were right."

"What?"

"It's not going to be okay. It isn't fair that I'm sick, and that I'm going to pass away. Your reaction was understandable. No one should have to go through the loss of a parent."

Benny was silent. M-O continued.

"I get it, I really do. You're afraid of my imminent leaving. You've gone through that pain before, and you don't wish to a second time. But, you know something? After I'm gone, you'll still have your mother and your friends. You won't be alone. And I'll still be with you, in a way."

Benny sniffed and wiped at non-existent tears. "I never thought of that. But, what do you mean, you'll still be with me?"

"Through the memories we've had together, and," M-O tapped at the center of Benny's chest. "in your heart."

Benny finally smiled a little. "I guess I'll be okay without you. I'll...I'll still miss you, though."

"I will, too, Benny. And your mother, our friends, and Earth."

M-O offered his roller, and the child-bot took it. "Come now. We're going home."

They began a silent trek home, where D-FIB was waiting. They waited until Benny had gone into sleep mode, then they had a talk.

"_What are we going to do now? I don't know if I can take this._"

"_D-FIB, you're one of the strongest robots I know. It may not seem like it, but you can push through it. I believe in you. I'm still here for now. Just...try to enjoy the amount of time you have left with me._"

"_I don't know how I'm supposed to with the knowledge that you're going to die. And the scary thing is, we don't know when._"

"_I'm scared, too. Knowing you have a time limit, but unsure of how long it is._"

M-O pressed his screen to D-FIB's, then held it there for a few minutes. "D-FIB, I've accepted the fact that I'm dying. There's no use in running away from that fact. You don't have to accept it right away, but doing so will help you move on with your life. I _want_ you to."

D-FIB looked down. "I'll...I'll try M-O. Only for you."

"I'll never stop loving you. Even when I'm gone."

"I love you too, M-O. That's why it hurts so much."

"I understand. It won't go away, but it'll get better."

D-FIB slowly wrapped her paddles around M-O's body. They rocked back and forth, humming a familiar song.

They broke apart, smiling. "_We should go to sleep. We did have a rather long night. I think some rest will do us good,_" M-O noted.

D-FIB nodded. The robot couple went to their respective areas, then shut down their systems, not knowing when the inevitable came, but determined to make the most of the time remaining.

**I hope I did everyone justice.**

**CocoDisney out!**


	4. Comfort

**Hello! I'm back! **

WALL-E, EVE, and Kitty were inside their trailer home. The garbage-bot was brooding silently to himself.

His best friend was sick. He wasn't going to get better. After only knowing him for twenty-five years...it just wasn't fair. If anything, WALL-E should've been the one to go first, being way older than anybody else.

D-FIB and Benny were going to be left behind. WALL-E couldn't imagine doing that to EVE and Kitty. He loved them too much.

M-O was a good friend. He didn't deserve this. Why did it have to be this way?

WALL-E had gone through loss before, with his pet cockroach Hal. The bug couldn't go on forever, and finally kicked the bucket a few years after Earth's recolonization. It had taken forever for WALL-E to accept it. The Captain's death was also a shocking blow. The robot still hadn't gotten over that. What would he do when M-O finally passed on?

"WALL-E?" A robotic feminine voice asked. He looked up to see blue LED eyes staring at him worryingly.

"Ee-vah," he responded sadly.

Even though WALL-E had learned some binary code, he found that he wasn't capable of speaking it. He had to stick with his limited English vocabulary.

EVE wrapped her arms around her husband. "Sad?"

WALL-E nodded. "M-O."

EVE's eyes shaped into crescents. While she wasn't as close to him, she still considered the cleaner-bot a friend. To hear of his impending doom was crushing. She didn't know what she would do if she were widowed. D-FIB was going to need all the help she could get.

The probe cast a glance at her sleeping daughter, thinking of how lucky she was. Benny was going to be deprived of a parent. He too would need support.

The extraterrestrial vegetation evaluator rubbed a hand over WALL-E's back. She feared for his mental health as well. Hal and the Captain's passings had been devastating to him. Could he take another death?

She looked down at WALL-E's recorder, an idea coming. She pressed a button, and _It Only Takes a Moment_ started playing.

She hummed the first few measures before the trash-bot's voice joined hers.

Once they were done, EVE gave him a spark-kiss, then pulled away. "Sleep?"

WALL-E nodded.

()

Kitty's bicolor eyes blinked into view on her screen. It was still dark outside. She looked over at her sleeping parents, then activated her thrusters, opened a window that had been installed where the hole used to be, then headed out, leaving trails in her wake.

She soared through the skies until she reached her friend's house. She landed on the ground near the old, crumbling, faded sunset mural. She searched for the right window, then lightly tapped on it.

Benny was jolted out of his sleep by the sound. He turned to find Kitty waving at him. He went over and opened the window, gesturing at her to come in.

"_What are you doing here? If you wake up my parents…_"

"_I...I just wanted to see how you were doing._"

Benny sighed. "_In the middle of the night?_"

Kitty realized the implications, which were definitely not true. "_Sorry. Guess I wasn't thinking. I'll go right now._"

Benny held up his hand, halting her. "_Wait._ _Don't go just yet. We're both awake, so you might as well hear how I'm doing. Well, I'm okay at the moment. I'm sad, but the talk with Father made me feel a little better._"

Kitty smiled a little. "_M-O's like an uncle to me. I'm sad, too, but I know it must be nothing compared to how you feel._"

Benny's green orbs slid down his screen. "_You have no idea_."

Pink fingers slipped into white ones. They squeezed tenderly.

"I'll be here for you Benny. No matter what."

In a quiet whisper, he replied, "Thanks."

Kitty looked to the window. "_I should go now. Don't want my parents to wake up to find me gone._" She turned, then stopped. "_Oh, one more thing to make you feel better._"

She leaned in, then pecked him on the cheek, a spark briefly passing. Before he could react, she was gone in a flash.

Benny watched her go, slowly bringing a hand to the area he had been kissed. A smiling expression unfolded.

"Goodnight, Kitty."

He closed the window, then went back to sleep.

**I know that cockroaches can't come close to the amount of time Hal lived. But this is the future; maybe cockroaches had evolved so they could live longer. Also explains how he was able to thrive on a polluted planet.**

**Note: Kitty and Benny will not get together in this story. You can ship them if you want, and I may include more moments, but for now, they are close friends. In this story, a romantic subplot is not needed.**

**CocoDisney out!**


	5. With Friends Like These

**Hey. This will be the last update for a while. ****_Little Shop of Horrors_**** and my final color guard competition is next week, in addition to school. They require my full attention. I'll get back to this as soon as I can.**

M-O sat silently in front of the window of his home. He had been dismissed from work due to his cancer. He knew things were only going to get worse from here on out, but that didn't mean he just wanted to sit around until the end of his time.

He saw D-FIB and Benny heading home. He greeted them.

"_So, we asked, and we're taking a break from our jobs for now until...until you-know-what. We want to be around full-time,_" D-FIB explained.

"_I didn't ask you two to do that,_" M-O responded.

"Well, we wanted to. I don't want you to be alone next time you have a scare," Benny said.

Before the microbe obliterator could reply, there was a commotion at the door. D-FIB went to check it out, and found the gang of rejects, along with WALL-E, EVE, and Kitty.

EVE gave an apologetic grin. "_Sorry, D-FIB. Everyone's been constantly worrying how you all are doing. I couldn't stop them._"

D-FIB sighed. "_Come on in, but don't overwhelm M-O. He's got enough going on._"

Everyone entered. M-O turned around, and rolled up to his friends. "_Hey, everybody._"

WALL-E came up and desperately hugged his friend, shaking. M-O stiffened, before returning it the best he could without arms.

"M-O…" the trash-bot whimpered.

M-O cocked his head, before understanding the meaning. "WALL-E. You'll be okay. Fine, maybe you won't be at first, but you will. I know it."

WALL-E reluctantly pulled away, his optics drooping. M-O frowned, but then had an idea.

"Hey, remember when we first met?"

WALL-E seemed to perk up at that. "Directive."

"That's right. I was doing my directive until you came around. You helped me literally step out of my boundary. I'm still thankful for that."

WALL-E's eyes brightened, cheering up. He then lifted up one of his treads and pointed at M-O.

"Yeah, you also put your tread in my face," M-O said sheepishly. But he was also smiling.

EVE glided up. "See, WALL-E? Look how happy remembering made you."

M-O added, "These memories may hurt when I'm gone, but they're a piece of me. It's okay to talk about them."

WALL-E turned to his friend, with a look of understanding. He went in for a hug. M-O gladly reciprocated it.

All morning, the robots talked about their years together, sharing laughs and tears and warm feelings. The sun was in the middle of the sky when they left.

"_It was nice reminiscing,_" M-O mused.

D-FIB half-smiled. "_Yeah. It was._"

Benny stated, "Kitty invited me over, so I guess I better get going. See you later!"

M-O held up his roller. "Wait! You're okay with leaving?"

"Mom will be with you in case it happens," Benny said simply before continuing.

There was a few seconds of silence. "I think I'll go to sleep. I'm feeling rather drained." M-O went to his charging station and cubed himself up, his yellow eyes disappearing from his screen.

D-FIB sighed. "_You have no idea how much I'm hurting right now._"

**WALL-E gets some much-needed comfort from his best friend. **

**So D-FIB is trying to be happy for M-O's sake, but it's a mask for how much she's really hurting. Perhaps an upcoming special date can make her open up and be happy for real. (Hint: If you've been paying attention to the timeline in the previous stories, perhaps you can guess what the date is.)**

**CocoDisney out!**


	6. Meant to Be

**I'm back! I'll try to get this story done before April, as school has been canceled before then due to Coronavirus. It sucks, but now I have more time. At least the musical and my competition weren't canceled.**

It was a few days later. M-O hadn't had any scares, but everyone was on edge for when it would happen next. He was the only one not freaked out about it.

_What's the point? I'm dying anyway. A scare is nothing compared to that._

In truth, despite accepting it, M-O was more afraid than he let on about his fate. What was so scary that no one knew what would happen to him. He supposed he would just stop working, but that was too vague. What was it like to just not exist anymore? Only leaving a physical body behind? He could ask WALL-E, but he didn't want to upset the garbage-bot, and that was if he remembered anything while being gone.

Oh well. He'd have to wait to get his answers.

Luckily, the assurance that D-FIB and Benny would be okay helped quell his fears. Well, he wasn't sure about the former. She was taking it very hard. He knew, even behind her smiles and cheery attitude. It was expected, of course, but he felt helpless to do anything while he was drifting away. What could make her feel better?

M-O found himself looking through his personal calendar inside his screen. There, he found a date he knew very well.

It was his and D-FIB's twenty-fifth wedding anniversary.

It had slipped his mind completely due to everything else going on. He hoped to live long enough to see that milestone. Perhaps it would make D-FIB happy for real.

Before he could dwell on it any longer, his low battery warning bleeped loudly. It had been happening a lot lately, because the cancer was eating up his energy. Very soon, it would devour all of it.

He tried not to think about that as he plugged himself in and went into sleep mode.

()

M-O woke up with a start, at the sound of a shriek. His eyes grew wide, looking for the source, until he saw D-FIB. She looked worked up, but was making an attempt to calm herself down.

"_What's the matter?_" he asked, worried.

"_Sorry, I just saw you asleep and thought-_" she cut herself off.

The cleaning droid sighed. "Oh."

"_But now I see nothing's wrong! You're fine and can go back to sleep! See you later!_"

She turned to leave. M-O checked his battery. It was halfway full. He supposed he could last a little longer before having to go back.

"D-FIB, wait," he held up his brush.

She obeyed and faced him.

"_You don't have to hide how you're feeling from me. I know I said to try to be happy, and I appreciate your efforts, but you're hurt. I didn't expect you to be happy all the time. I mean, I'm dying. How can you be happy about that? D-FIB, just please let it all out. It'll help both of us._"

The defibrillator-bot closed her blue rectangles. "_It h-hurts, M-O. A lot. And if I'm hurting this much now, I don't know what it'll feel like when you're gone._" Her voice cracked.

She was shaking now. "_Sometimes, I wish this was a nightmare I can wake up from and find you well. Other times...I wish...I wish I was the one dying, so you can live._"

"D-FIB!"

M-O's eyes were slanted down. If it were possible, tears would've been glistening in the corners.

"_Don't...don't you ever think that. I can't bear the thought of you dying! Perhaps it was meant to be this way._"

D-FIB gaped at him "What do you mean?"

"_Remember all my talk about fate? We can't control the inevitable, but we can choose how we let it affect us. Maybe cancer is a little extreme for me, but...I'm trying to stay positive, despite how scary it actually is. I let myself fall apart when it becomes too much, but I always bounce right back._"

M-O offered his roller, and D-FIB accepted it with her paddle. "See, D-FIB? There's no use in thinking of what might've been. Staying happy is good, but it's also good to let yourself take a break. It'll help you in the long run."

"Oh, M-O," D-FIB sighed lovingly, then pulled him into a kiss. It lasted until he suddenly started shaking.

"M-O?" M-O couldn't say anything as she helplessly watched him suffer. He then went limp, blacking out.

"M-O!" D-FIB panicked for a second, then scooped him up and rushed out.

**Yeesh...M-O and D-FIB were having a moment, then cancer had to ruin it. **

**As I said, I now have a lot of extra time for this story. See you soon!**

**CocoDisney out!**


	7. One Last Gift

**I went ahead and finished this story, because there are other projects I wanted to get started on.**

For the rest of that day, the mood was melancholy. M-O's latest scare had taken a lot out of him. The cancer was growing at an increasingly fast rate, and the estimate was that he'd only last a week before dropping dead.

He spent the night at the Repair Ward, D-FIB never once leaving his side. At some point, Benny came over, and would've also stayed if D-FIB hadn't made him go spread the word.

It was noon by the time M-O was cleared to leave. He needed a lot of helping getting home, D-FIB having to hold him up by the brush to keep him steady.

And he hated it.

He hated feeling helpless, but knew he had no choice. The end was in sight, after all.

It bothered him that he wouldn't live to see their wedding anniversary, but who said they couldn't celebrate early? He could enjoy himself one last time.

And that's exactly what he was going to do.

After a long recharge, M-O sent Benny to invite their friends to their home. You could imagine D-FIB's bewildered look when she opened the door.

"Happy anniversary!" everyone yelled excitingly.

D-FIB squinted at them. "But...that's still a few months away."

VN-GO came up. "_We know, but M-O wanted to celebrate early, since he'll be gone by the time the actual date comes around._"

M-O, with help from Benny, appeared by her side. "Surprise, D-FIB."

D-FIB stared at him, then a smile broke out. She hugged him and gave him a spark-kiss. "Thank you."

Benny then let everyone in. "Sorry that this was kind of last-minute, but Father wanted to celebrate as soon as possible."

Kitty said, "We understand."

The festivities got started. WALL-E played tunes on his recorder. The music overlapped with chatter as some robots hit the dance floor. Kitty pulled Benny there, despite his protests, but he soon got into the mood. M-O and D-FIB also shared a dance, even though M-O was still weak with cancer.

For the first time since M-O's diagnosis, the defibrillator-bot was truly happy. It was like the recent events had never happened. M-O was still healthy. For just a few hours, she could allow herself to forget.

The cleaning droid could sense it. He felt proud that he could make his wife happy, even if it only lasted a short while. It was more than enough, for him.

It was midnight by the time the guests started clearing out. When they were gone, M-O took one last look at the night sky. He'd heard during the party that the place you go after you die was up there. He wasn't sure if he believed it, but it was a nice thought, to be among the stars.

He remembered the first time he ever saw the stars, on the day his life changed forever. The first time he ever felt true happiness.

"Pretty," he'd said.

And it was still true.

It was the last thing he saw before turning in for the night.

**In fifth grade, a boy in my class had a mom with cancer, who wasn't going to make it to his graduation. So he and his friends held an early graduation ceremony. She died a month later.**

**We're near the ****_end_****, folks.**


	8. Teach Me How to Say Goodbye

**Yes, the title is a ****_Hamilton_**** reference. This chapter is the real gut-puncher, I warn you.**

It was time.

D-FIB couldn't quite believe it. She'd anticipated it, but it was still a shock to see her beloved M-O attached to a bunch of wires, the only thing keeping him alive before the cancer overpowered the life support.

It was only a few days after the party that M-O had a scare unlike any other. It left him paralyzed. The only things still functional was his vision and voice box.

Beside her, was Benny, with a look of absolute misery. He was keeping it together, but it was only a matter of time before he broke down.

Their friends were in the hall, waiting for the inevitable. She could only imagine how they were holding up.

"D-D-FIB?"

She looked down. M-O had a sad smile on his face.

"Yes, M-O?" She tried not to let her voice crack.

"C-Can y-you…bring-g our friends h-ere? To s-say good-bye?"

"Of course."

One by one, each of their friends tearfully bid farewell to him. When it was Kitty's turn, she could only get a few words out before bawling. M-O didn't mind, as he knew what she wanted to say.

WALL-E and EVE were the last to go, the latter going first. "Hey, M-O. I just want to say, thank you for being there for my husband, and me by extension. I hope you rest well. Goodbye. I will never forget you."

EVE stepped back to let WALL-E say his piece. "M-O...best...friend...brother. Thank...you. Good...b-bye."

Everyone went back into the hall, but M-O said "Wait," when WALL-E and EVE tried to go.

"W-WALL-E, Ee-vah. Pl-please stay."

They did as they were told.

M-O seemed to find a burst of strength, as he said, "There are things I want to say to all of you."

He started with EVE. "EVE, WALL-E may have provided the push, but by coming to Earth, it was you who started the chain reaction that changed our lives for the better. You're a dear friend to me and I'm sorry to leave you." EVE smiled at him.

Then, WALL-E. "WALL-E, you changed me for the better. I learned I could do things I never thought I was capable of. You're my best friend and I'm honored to call you my brother. And thank you to helping me get together with D-FIB." WALL-E rushed up and gave him a gentle hug.

Next, Benny. "Benny, we may have started off rough, but I'm glad I met you. You're my son and I feel proud whenever you call me your father." Benny perked up, and gave a tearful smile.

At last, D-FIB. "D-FIB, I can't express in words how much I love you. I'm still grateful for the time you saved me from that steward. I'm sorry things have to end this way, but honor me by living out however much time you've got left. Which I hope is a long time. I don't know what's going to happen, but I'm sure I'll see you all again. I love you all, but alas, it's time to say goodbye."

He remained conscious for a little while after that. D-FIB could tell he was fighting to stay as long as possible. She kissed him deeply, then whispered:

"It's okay, M-O. You don't have to fight anymore. You're at peace now."

This seemed to relax him. He gave a long sigh, then his yellow eyes, those beautiful bright lights, slowly faded from his screen. Then, there was still silence.

D-FIB gave his blank face one last kiss, then brokenly wept over his body. Benny collapsed and let out a loud cry. WALL-E buried his face in EVE's chest, sobbing quietly, while she rubbed his back, also crying.

From out in the hall, the remaining robots could hear the sorrow. "Did it happen?" Kitty asked quietly, even though she already knew the answer.

L-T bowed his head. "_I think so._"

It was so silent you could hear a pin drop. Then, everyone started to grieve, mourning over the loss of their friend.

Outside, the sun was setting.

The same sunset M-O loved to watch.

If only he could see it.

But perhaps he could, just in a different place.

**The inevitable finally came. Our protagonist, M-O, has finally passed on. But at least he's not in pain anymore.**

**I have nothing more to say.**

**CocoDisney out!**


	9. Someday, We'll Meet Again

**The last chapter. Thanks for coming along on the ride, folks.**

It was a week later, the day of M-O's funeral.

D-FIB hovered silently over her husband's casket. A black veil was draped over her head.

The casket was open, allowing everyone to see the empty shell inside. She almost expected yellow eyes to blink into view on the black screen.

But M-O wasn't there anymore. He was somewhere else.

It was hard for her to accept that the first few days. She woke up expecting M-O to greet her, but Benny had to sadly remind her what happened.

It was difficult for Benny too, but he was still coping with it better than she was. What started out as a throbbing squeeze was now a numb hold on her heart.

It was still better than being in agony all the time, which is what she felt like at first.

The casket was finally closed, then dirt was dug up near the tree and was placed gently inside. Then, it was covered back up, only a grave being any indication that someone was there.

Several robots and people said their piece, then D-FIB.

"M-O was - and still is - the love of my life. That will never change. I would explain the many reasons I loved him, but that'll take forever and I want to keep moving forward. That's what he wants me to do. M-O, if you're hearing this, I promise I will honor your wishes and live my life. And so will the rest of us. I will also use this moment to officially say goodbye to you. I didn't have the strength before, but if this is a step in moving on, I will do it. Rest in peace, M-O."

That day, many offered the defibrillator-bot their condolences. By the end of it, she felt utterly exhausted, but didn't go to her charging station right away.

Benny came to her, looking pretty tired himself. "Mom, what do you think's going to happen now?"

D-FIB sighed. "I don't know, but we'll take it in stride."

She then glided over to a special box and opened it. Inside were two chains with rings attached.

She'd thought of burying M-O with his wedding ring, but something told her M-O wouldn't want that. It also didn't feel like she'd be moving on.

Besides, she had a feeling these rings might come in handy in the future, she thought as she looked at Benny's sleeping form.

She slowly went to the window, the stars twinkling at her. Perhaps M-O really was up there, because she felt a sense of comfort.

A small smile crossed her face. "Thank you, for everything you've given me. Someday, we'll meet again."

She closed the curtains, shutting out the rest of the world.

**And we're out! This is the end of the Destiny Trilogy. I plan to write an epilogue one-shot, that puts a nice end to M-O and D-FIB's story.**

**After that, I don't think I'll write any more ****_WALL-E_**** stories. It's been fun, but I think it's time I move on to other stuff. Maybe if I get inspiration, I'll write another one, but for now, I won't.**

**M-Oislife, thank you for sticking by me this whole time. It helped me when I was a new writer. You will always be my first reviewer.**

**Signing off one last time, CocoDisney out!**


End file.
